COLUMBIA – Richard Winn Cross Country hit the ground running last Saturday to open their 2023 season. After finishing the 2022 season as SCISA A Runner Up, the varsity girls took a six-member squad to the meet, the oldest of which is a ninth-grader. Competing at Varsity level, the team is comprised of one freshman, two eighth graders, two seventh graders and one sixth grader.
Richard Winn’s girls team finished 13th of 17 schools, which included independent and public high schools from around the state. The boys team, also comprised of six underclassmen and heavy on middle school runners, finished 23rd of 23 varsity teams competing.
Richard Winn standout Hayden Branham, a seventh grader, finished first for the Eagle girls and in 15th place of 187 runners. Hayden’s time was 21:09.24; the top girls finish on the day was 18:26.00. Lillian Trapp, also in seventh grade, finished second for the Eagles and in 77th place with a time of 24:33.15.
Eighth graders Addison Trapp and Harper Branham followed third and fourth for the Eagles, with times of 29:47.28 and 30:45.63 respectively. Sixth grader Ada Bass rounded out Eagle scores as their fifth finisher at 33:59.42. Freshman Haley Autry had a time of 34:33.90.
Freshman Adrian Jackson finished first for the Eagle boys with a time of 22:23.54 for 173rd out of 260 runners. Jeter Limperis-Mannara, a sixth grader, was the second Eagle finisher at 25:13.31. Eighth-grader Carson Taylor finished next at 28:27.09l and seventh-grader Stephen Limeris-Mannara followed closely at 28:31.56. Sixth-grader Colton Tanktrsley rounded out Eagle runners at 29:48.16.
The Eagles are slated to run again on Aug. 26 at Lexington High School’s Champion’s Invitational.
